The Town Scryer is a mixed bag of humor, socio-political observations and ephemera from the perspective of a eclectic Pagan veteran of the counter-culture.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

The Vikings Invented Baseball (sort of)

"...a ball game called knattleikr was played, which involved at least four men throwing a ball, chasing and running, and sometimes also involved a bat. Gardeła relates that in the saga of Egill Skallagrimsson, a game was arranged that brought people from around the district to watch. The story goes that “Egill, who must have been under 12 years old, was competing against an 11-year-old boy named Grımr, who seems to have been much stronger. At some point Egill lost his temper and struck his opponent with a bat, but was immediately seized and dashed to the ground. After complaining about these events to his friend Þorðr Granason, Egill took an axe and drove it into Grimr’s head.”

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About Me

Over the years I have been married, divorced, served as clergy at several handfastings, written for a couple of national magazines and a local newspaper. I have owned a race horse and been owned by several cats. I mined gold for a season. I have been called a curmudgeon. I no longer deny it.